Pre purchase on a 2011 RT - Guide me along here please!

[PrivatePilot]

Heya all. My wife is looking to go from 2 wheels to 3 wheels. I've found a 2011 RT manual a few hours from me that I'm considering going to see tomorrow. It isn't perfect but the seller has been very upfront about things, and it is priced appropriately.

I'm somewhat familiar with Spyders as we have a few friends who also own them, although neither of us have ever ridden one. I'm a lifelong 2 wheel rider with a lot of advanced rider training as well as being mechanically handy, so this might be an interesting winter project for me in the end and fun for both of us.

It sounds like it has sat for possibly up to 4-5 years with only occasional riding, and none in the last year or two. The battery was dead when he went to sell it. The biggest concern at this point is that the seller indicates that when the machine is started now (with a new battery) pretty much all the trouble indicators come on - engine, ABS, and the power steering.

He apparently did find a loose ground but repaired it and the issue persists. Otherwise apparently it starts and runs well. He is perfectly fine with a test ride, and like I said, has been very upfront about everything.

Is there any common issues with the 2011's that would cause the issues explained?

And anything else I should check that's a common problem on 11's?

Thanks for everyones time and advice.

[CopperSpyder]

all your two wheel time throw that out the window, start over with 3 wheels they are not the same. The Spyder is a good machine and starting with a 2011 is ok if your getting a real deal. Oil, brake fluid and tires, stuff like that will need to be changed. As for all the codes it may be just the battery, low battery will do that even if new and not fully charged before installing. The plus is you are handy with working on things to get this worked out. I think once you get things as they should be, the Spyder will be a good starter. You did not say what model Spyder it was or how many miles it had. Good luck with your research.

[Peter Aawen]

Heya all. .... snip ....
He apparently did find a loose ground but repaired it and the issue persists. Otherwise apparently it starts and runs well. He is perfectly fine with a test ride, and like I said, has been very upfront about everything.

Is there any common issues with the 2011's that would cause the issues explained?

And anything else I should check that's a common problem on 11's?

Thanks for everyones time and advice.

Hi Private, & Welcome to the Forum and Posting!

As mentioned by Copper, the most common cause for a collection of lights/warnings to show like that on any Spyder is the battery being in a poor state of charge - and even new batteries can fail! So maybe a load check on that new battery would be a good idea?

Still, just trying to start a Spyder with a weak/dead battery can cause all sorts of those codes & errors to come up - even more if you try to ride it with a weak battery!! And most new batteries still NEED a good run &/or charge before they get fully up to speed, but because we all want things NOW & it takes so much time, very few battery retailers do that pre-installation charge for you up front these days! So if he's just purchased a new battery & thrown it in without putting it on charge for 8-12 hours before installation; or if he installed it and then didn't start the bike & ride it for at least 30+ minutes at highway speeds pretty much straight away, there's a good chance that the new battery still doesn't have much more than a cover charge & it could well be the cause of all those lights/warnings - and they won't go away without a good charge AND some careful riding!!

So I'd suggest that if you really want to proceed with looking at & taking this particular Spyder out for a test ride, that you ask him to put that battery on charge for at least 8-12 hours using a good quality battery charger/maintainer before you get there; so that even if it's got warnings showing when you start out on a careful test ride, if they are only poor battery charge related (as they could well be ) then with any luck they'll go out once you start riding and the all the sensors start telling the management system that it was only low voltage causing those warnings! And if they don't go away.... caveat emptor!

Personally, I think the V-Twin motors (found in all Spyders up until the release of the 1330 Triple in 2014) are the 'more exciting and peppier' motors anyway, and they thrive on revs - besides which, the SE5's run a centrifugal clutch that needs a bit over 3,000 rpm to lock up properly, so even for the manuals, the engine tuning has been designed around those sorta revs!! Which means that unless you/your wife are prepared for that, it might be a steep learning curve... well worth it in my opinion, but it's not me who's looking at buying that particular bike - I've already got my own 2013 RT with a slightly enhanced ECU controlling its V-Twin motor, making it even more fun to ride & very nearly as economical as the Triples, albeit still with a bit less range due to its smaller gas tank; and I've yet to find a 1330 powered Spyder that is as much fun to ride as mine is or provides anywhere near enough of a buzz to think about upgrading! So if this one is good and those warning lights are simply battery related, you could do a lot worse for first Spyder!

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Heya all. My wife is looking to go from 2 wheels to 3 wheels. I've found a 2011 RT manual a few hours from me that I'm considering going to see tomorrow. It isn't perfect but the seller has been very upfront about things, and it is priced appropriately.

I'm somewhat familiar with Spyders as we have a few friends who also own them, although neither of us have ever ridden one. I'm a lifelong 2 wheel rider with a lot of advanced rider training as well as being mechanically handy, so this might be an interesting winter project for me in the end and fun for both of us.

It sounds like it has sat for possibly up to 4-5 years with only occasional riding, and none in the last year or two. The battery was dead when he went to sell it. The biggest concern at this point is that the seller indicates that when the machine is started now (with a new battery) pretty much all the trouble indicators come on - engine, ABS, and the power steering.

He apparently did find a loose ground but repaired it and the issue persists. Otherwise apparently it starts and runs well. He is perfectly fine with a test ride, and like I said, has been very upfront about everything.

Is there any common issues with the 2011's that would cause the issues explained?

And anything else I should check that's a common problem on 11's?

Thanks for everyones time and advice.

" priced appropriately " are you afraid to tell us how much ???? ..... " but the battery was dead when He went to sell .... BIG RED FLAG ..... this Spyder has lots of issues, if He tried to sell it to an actual Spyder dealer, they probably wouldn't unless it was dirt cheap ..... IMHO this Spyder is a major headache .... knowing folks that own Spyders won't help you much at all .... walk away .... good luck .... Mike Also - He is trying to sell it during the dead of winter

[ARtraveler]

We had a new 2011 RT A & C...it was a great bike. We bought it new in 2012, traded it off in 2019 with 36K miles on it. Never had any major problems with it.

Unfortunately, you may be just the one that someone would like to pawn off a bad one on. The no riding for 4 years, and bad battery are some red flags. Have a dealer run the VIN and you can get a service history on it.

I would definately not purchase without a good test ride. Wintertime in Canada is probably NOT a good time to do a test ride. Pricing would be good to know. I would check Canadian verson of blue book to make sure you are getting a good price. Any accessories on the 2011 at this time are worth zero. Don't let them pad the price on that. For starters you will need new tires. Tires over 4 years old, regardless of tread, need to be changed out.

A 10+ year old Spyder in the middle of winter...should be priced really, really good to sell. I don't know about the parts situation in Canada...but BRP is having a tough time keeping up with current stuff. Just a FYI.

Let us know what you do.

[PrivatePilot]

all your two wheel time throw that out the window, start over with 3 wheels they are not the same. The Spyder is a good machine and starting with a 2011 is ok if your getting a real deal. Oil, brake fluid and tires, stuff like that will need to be changed. As for all the codes it may be just the battery, low battery will do that even if new and not fully charged before installing. The plus is you are handy with working on things to get this worked out. I think once you get things as they should be, the Spyder will be a good starter. You did not say what model Spyder it was or how many miles it had. Good luck with your research.

Thanks. It'll be my wife's primarily, but we've both been snowmobilers, PWC and quad riders in the past as well, so the transition between countersteer from the bikes and snowmobile/quad steering shouldn't be too hard to overcome.

The one we're looking at is a full standard, but that's fine as well, my wife has been riding bikes for several years, so it won't be a difficult transition there.

[PrivatePilot]

We had a new 2011 RT A & C...it was a great bike. We bought it new in 2012, traded it off in 2019 with 36K miles on it. Never had any major problems with it.

Unfortunately, you may be just the one that someone would like to pawn off a bad one on. The no riding for 4 years, and bad battery are some red flags. Have a dealer run the VIN and you can get a service history on it.

I would definately not purchase without a good test ride. Wintertime in Canada is probably NOT a good time to do a test ride. Pricing would be good to know. I would check Canadian verson of blue book to make sure you are getting a good price. Any accessories on the 2011 at this time are worth zero. Don't let them pad the price on that. For starters you will need new tires. Tires over 4 years old, regardless of tread, need to be changed out.

A 10+ year old Spyder in the middle of winter...should be priced really, really good to sell. I don't know about the parts situation in Canada...but BRP is having a tough time keeping up with current stuff. Just a FYI.

Let us know what you do.

The market is different north of the border on all things toys, but this one is priced at $10K CDN, about $7500USD. That's at least $3-5K less than even the cheapest competing options out there with similar mileage and $5000+ less than a lot of others, albeit automatics. It has ~50,000km on it, a little over 30K miles.

And yes tires would be on the to-do list. But as mentioned I have the skills, tools, and space to do a lot of work and maintenance myself.

[JayBros]

I suggest a different perspective. Yes, you have tools and technical experience, but every bit of rubber on that Spyder is 11 years old and some of it, including tires, should be replaced for your wife's safety. Vacuum lines will most likely be the other first rubber to need replacement. If you are looking for a maintenance project, dive in. OTOH, if you want a vehicle that won't be a hangar queen while you're working your way through everything, pass on it.

[PrivatePilot]

Thanks all. Went to see it today.

Hard pass.

It's been stored outside (despite being inside now) and it was one problem after another. Needs a new cluster as the display just kept resetting cyclically. Heated grips didn't work. Foglights didn't work. Signals didn't work. Suspension didn't work. Power steering dead.

On the positive side it started (but ran rough until warm, yeah, likely vacuum leaks), but that was the highlight.

If it was $2500 (maybe even 5K) I'd pick it up and make it into a winter project over the next few months, but it's not worth remotely worth asking as it is.

I'm going to look at a 2014 RS tomorrow. Looks like it has some touring-centric mods but I'll see how it feels when I sit on it - not sure my wife will like the more sport-centric seating position, as I understand it.

[ARtraveler]

Thank you for the update.

The RS is basically the same bike since it came out in 2008. I had two of them over the years. An 08 and an 09. Same 998 engine. The main difference between the RS and the RT is that the RT rides more like a Goldwing. The RS has more of the crotch rocket feel to it.

[PrivatePilot]

My wife isn't into endurance riding like I am where I might roll the garage door up and ride 1500+km in a day, so the less touring centric thing of an RS vs RT won't be a show stopper. Maybe a few overnight trips a year with a few long riding days (but not slab riding except perhaps a portion of the to and from the destinations), and aside from that it's fairly leisurely day trip type stuff. We do a lot of group riding as well with a RC.

Looks to me like the current owner has already installed a much larger windshield with hand protection flares which would be something she's grown accustomed to having a batwing on her current bike.

Seating angle on the RS will be the biggest question. Can't really determine if there's risers on it or not in the photos, but I'll sit on it and get a vibe there right away. She will not like anything that requires a hunch over the tank.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

My wife isn't into endurance riding like I am where I might roll the garage door up and ride 1500+km in a day, so the less touring centric thing of an RS vs RT won't be a show stopper. Maybe a few overnight trips a year with a few long riding days (but not slab riding except perhaps a portion of the to and from the destinations), and aside from that it's fairly leisurely day trip type stuff. We do a lot of group riding as well with a RC.

Looks to me like the current owner has already installed a much larger windshield with hand protection flares which would be something she's grown accustomed to having a batwing on her current bike.

Seating angle on the RS will be the biggest question. Can't really determine if there's risers on it or not in the photos, but I'll sit on it and get a vibe there right away. She will not like anything that requires a hunch over the tank.

As to the seating position on a GS or RS, the answer for a lot of folks (including me) were the after-market dog-Bone riser kits. Before they were made for Spyders, I bought some from RSI which made them for Snow-mobiles. It was fairly easy to adapt them for my GS & RSS .... made a huge difference in comfort. ... I just checked with the Dennis Kirk Co. (snow-mobile catalog) and they are still sold there for $ 79.95 a pair (which is a lot less than the ones for Spyders specifically, which I don't think are sold anymore) .... if you are interested in how to do it PM me. .... Mike

[ARtraveler]

I also put risers on the handlebars of the 08 and 09. They were brand new to the motorcycle market then. My dealer fabricated and installed the risers on both RS's for me.

[PrivatePilot]

Thanks all. Didn't make it up to see the RS today, the schedule just didn't work out between myself and the seller.

For those with mileage on both the RT and the RS, with the risers and a bigger windshield, what do you still miss about the RT?

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Thanks all. Didn't make it up to see the RS today, the schedule just didn't work out between myself and the seller.

For those with mileage on both the RT and the RS, with the risers and a bigger windshield, what do you still miss about the RT?

I had the orig. GS and then an 11 RSS. My GS had a goldwing 1200 windshield that was conventionally mounted ( ie. it turned with the handlebars, same as most other after-market windshields ). I was able to buy an excellent Touring windshield for the RSS. ..... The RT has always a larger luggage capacity so my GE got a rear trunk with passenger backrest .... the same for the RSS, but I also added panniers. ... on that ..... Mike

[PrivatePilot]

Found a 10 RT that is low mileage and hits some of the marks, but the seller indicates the windshield up/down is not working. Some searching here shows that it's either a motor problem (common or not common?) or possibly a broken support arm *from* the motor?

[Peter Aawen]

Found a 10 RT that is low mileage and hits some of the marks, but the seller indicates the windshield up/down is not working. Some searching here shows that it's either a motor problem (common or not common?) or possibly a broken support arm *from* the motor?

Not at all common, but maybe becoming more so with age; it's more likely to be either a motor/drive issue, stripped drive cogs (they're only placcy) or dodgy drive shaft (it's only held in by placcy brackets), or a blown fuse - do the horn &/or the ACS still work?? IIRC, (& I'm not sure at all... ) then one or maybe both of them work off the same fuse - someone will tell us, I'm sure.

The broken support arm thing (by far the most common failure of the options facing you, except maybe in this case ) basically means that the windscreen won't stand up at all - the support arm is the lower of the three support arms and it's driven directly off the shaft from the motor, so it's the only thing that stops the windscreen from pivoting on the upper two arms & lying flat on the top of the dash binnacle/in the rider's face!! If it breaks, your windscreen WILL lie flat, unless someone/something gets in the way & stops it!! It's REAL exciting when that lower arm finally breaks & the windscreen smacks you in the face while you're doing 99mph and only half way past the last trailer on a road train doing 95 in the only possible (short) passing spot for the forseeable future/at least the next 100 miles!! Do you really need to ask me how I know that little gem?! Hardy, bring me my brown trousers!

[PrivatePilot]

Assuming stripped gears / borked motor, is it a PITA to replace? Looks like they’re only slightly insanely expensive.

[Peter Aawen]

Fiddly, not really difficult; and due to all the bloody yellow locktite goop BRP likes to slather everything with, it's pretty easy to strip &/or break some of the little screws that'll need to move! Plus, the many plastic/whatever components in there can become brittle & fragile with age, so on a 2010, you'll wanta be reeeaally careful!! But if you take your time & don't get too forceful on anything, it shouldn't be too much of a PITA....

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Found a 10 RT that is low mileage and hits some of the marks, but the seller indicates the windshield up/down is not working. Some searching here shows that it's either a motor problem (common or not common?) or possibly a broken support arm *from* the motor?

I took the one off of my 14 RT shortly after I bought it .... and replaced it with a used one I bought from another member here.... I wanted His broken " ARM " to repair it. He sent me the entire unit. ... After I made to repair I saved some assembly time by just using His. .... So I still have mine orig. - If you need it make me an offer..... The ones are expensive, mine won't be ..... Mike

[PrivatePilot]

I took the one off of my 14 RT shortly after I bought it .... and replaced it with a used one I bought from another member here.... I wanted His broken " ARM " to repair it. He sent me the entire unit. ... After I made to repair I saved some assembly time by just using His. .... So I still have mine orig. - If you need it make me an offer..... The ones are expensive, mine won't be ..... Mike

Thanks, will let you know if I end up with that particular RT. The asking price doesn't reflect the fact it needs this fixed, and you never know how realistic people are about that sort of thing when it comes to negotiation. I'm absolutely no against or afraid of getting into a small project bike IF the price is reflective of it, but a lot of people are delusional.

[ARtraveler]

Thanks all. Didn't make it up to see the RS today, the schedule just didn't work out between myself and the seller.

For those with mileage on both the RT and the RS, with the risers and a bigger windshield, what do you still miss about the RT?

I liked the GW type ride. We now own f3L's. Not a GW, but not a crotch rocket either. Sits lower to the ground and a better center of gravity for the twisties.

[PrivatePilot]

Thoughts on 2008's? I believe it's a GS.

Found one that's checking a lot of the boxes.

[larryd]

Thoughts on 2008's? I believe it's a GS.

Found one that's checking a lot of the boxes.

Our first Spyder was a 08 GS manual SM 5 speed...BRP had a factory recall for the DPS, all units were replaced...They had some with gear position sensor problems, that was a easy fix with a sensor replacement...Most had oil in the air box issues, again this was an easy fix with several options here on the forum...Was not the most comfortable ride two up for larger people...Mine was almost completely trouble free...Easy to work on...And it ran like a rocket ship...larryd

[PrivatePilot]

Our first Spyder was a 08 GS manual SM 5 speed...BRP had a factory recall for the DPS, all units were replaced...They had some with gear position sensor problems, that was a easy fix with a sensor replacement...Most had oil in the air box issues, again this was an easy fix with several options here on the forum...Was not the most comfortable ride two up for larger people...Mine was almost completely trouble free...Easy to work on...And it ran like a rocket ship...larryd

Thanks for the insight.

She has never once ridden 2 up (not comfortable doing it on 2 wheels), but she may dabble with it on the Spyder, but the most likely passengers are small people.

Regarding the DPS, I'm going to go on the assumption that it's been completed all these years later, but I assume being a full blown recall that if we buy this one, find out by running the VIN past a dealer that it hasn't been completed for whatever reason (past owners ignored the recall notice or whatever), that getting it completed still won't be a problem?

I think this particular machine has gone to the front of the line. It's actually priced properly for it's age.